Buckles are used in various types of sports equipment to secure and adjust a fit of the sports equipment to a user wearing the sports equipment. For example, in hockey or lacrosse, a player secures the strap of the chin protector and facemask to a helmet by causing the buckles provided on the left and right ends of the strap to engage buckle mounts provided on the left and right sides of the helmet.
Generally, prior art buckles for helmets are provided in the form of snap buttons wherein a female member of a snap button, usually provided on the buckle, is selectively engaged with a male member of the snap button, usually provided on the buckle mount. For example, such a prior art buckle is illustrated in FIG. 1. This type of arrangement requires one to push the buckle onto the buckle mount in order to affix it thereto, as shown in FIG. 2. However, such prior art buckles have some drawbacks. For instance, pushing the buckle onto the buckle mount generally requires exerting significant strength on the buckle which may cause the user's finger to hurt as he/she applies pressure on the buckle. Moreover, pushing the buckle onto the buckle mount also causes the user's head to be pushed from the side, especially when engaging the buckle to the buckle mount requires significant strength. This is generally not comfortable for the user.
The present invention aims to alleviate at least in part some of these drawbacks. Similar issues may arise in other sport helmets, such as football, cycling or skateboarding helmets in which users use buckles to secure chin straps together or to secure straps to the helmet.